WSOP update: 2011 could be biggest ever, Europe schedule announced

It’s still relatively early, but this year’s World Series of Poker (WSOP) doesn’t seem to be suffering much from the “black cloud” of “Black Friday”, as many analysts had predicted might happen.

So far, just over two weeks into the event, 20,443 people have registered for WSOP events — that’s a participation increase of 11 percent over the same time last year. So far this year, total money paid out has been to the tune of $37 million.

“If this continues it will be the biggest attendance numbers in World Series history,” Seth Palansky, communications director for WSOP, told ABC News.

The Ivey factorThe angle to the ABC News report was Phil Ivey’s boycott of this year’s WSOP. Ivey’s one of the world’s best and most popular poker players, so many are disappointed that he’s sitting this one out.

And he’s doing so to protest the fact that his former business partner, Full Tilt Poker (technically Tiltware LLC), has yet to pay out millions owed to players as a result of the U.S. government’s “Black Friday” crackdown.

Using “fraudulent methods” to avoid U.S. banking laws, Full Tilt’s actions have also “irreparably” damaged the poker pro’s reputation, Phil Ivey’s suit explains. He’s demanding $150 million in damages.

Ivey is the fifth all-time WSOP bracelet winner (Phil Hellmuth tops the list). Ivey has scored about $5.3 million from prior WSOP wins — so it’s clear that he’s laying more than his reputation on the line be refusing to play this year.

WSOP Europe details announcedAnd as this year’s World Series of Poker hits its stride, players on the other side of the Atlantic are gearing up for their own WSOP.

The WSOP Europe (WSOPE) operates on a much smaller scale than the main U.S.-based WSOP. Still, organizers have high hopes that the growing popularity of poker and gaming in Europe will help the event eventually rival the American tournament in popularity and profit margins.

This year’s WSOPE will be held at the Casino Barrière de Cannes Croisette in Southern France and sponsored by BarrièrePoker.com. Held in October, the event will offer seven bracelet events. Here’s how it’ll run down, per CardPlayer.com:

“Our new venue in Cannes along with our new partnership with Barrière Poker will offer the best player experience we have ever had for WSOP Europe,” WSOP vice-president Ty Stewart said. “Players will find non-stop action throughout the two-week event, plus plenty of fun distractions in Cannes to make this the perfect poker vacation.”